The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1887-01-06

mead, ana she hld herSelf upon a pile
of steep high rocks, obeying some wild
impulse of which she felt ashamed. To
follow him with her eyes and be herself
invisible was an impersonal rapture in
which she could indulge without giving
it o great advantage. Yet, when he
disappeared near the river, she felt a
singing check in her heart, and a sense
of having inflicted loss and robbery up
on herself.
To Beetrus he was the walking es-
sence of the world, representing not
only its mighty business, but its advan-
tages of culture and travel. She never
had been from home except TO Evans
vile and New Harmony; and ne never
staid two nights in a place, and spoke
with fatigue of his exciting life. What
operas he had seen!-for in Beetrus'
chaotic imagination all theatrical per-
Torrance was opera, and operas were
the distinct possessions of the wealthy.
She resented with a mixture of awe
and daring the greatness of his rela-
tives. He was a nephew of the head of
his commercial house, and his grand
father had been a Congressman; while
her background was the pioneers
cabin, the pecan woods, and Wabash
rocks and hills.
Beetrus was the child of a shrewd
though novel-soaked mother, who had
lowered her with something more than
| a mispronounced fine name and BIASED
imagination. 1t is strange to think
how large a human mass, moving this
instant in grooves of practical action,
is protesting with secret scorn against
| all its conditions. Beetrus was full of
a girls unrests and eccentric impulses.
She thought she knew exactly what she
wanted for her happiEfss, the con-
densed statement of whslh would have
been to have the whole globe placed in
her lap, ticketed simply ''Reward of
merit"
She pressed her cheek against the
rock linchens, taking a half-inverted
view of the autumn tangle, and glad in
spite of herself for the pleasant breath
of life. 1t was worth while to be a part
of such woods and river vistas, and to
smell all the grounds odors. Some
little living thing ran along a log not
far from her; and she could hear a
squirrel bark, a whish and a whisper of
loosened leaves as they were sent
adrift, and then the dropping of a nut.
Stong as the sunlight was, she shivered
upon the rocks, and then felt all her
blood burn, beat, and tremble. The
commercial traveller was walking back
with a brisk step from the river. and
scanning every opening among the
trees, as if on an eager search. He
saw Beetrus rising and tightening her
pink shawl on her shoulders, and halted
with a jerk.
.Where have you beenP" was his I'M
~ceremonious exclamation.
up here, reading my letters and
viewing the country"
"You saw me go past, then, didn't
your"
.'Was it youP" said she, fitting her
foot deity to the steep descent.
'Let me lift you down. How pretty
you look this morning!'
"Oh! don't talk about pretty Mr..
Poundstone," said Beetrus, dyed in
color after he had stood her upon the
moss, and dazed as she always was by
his prevailing presence.
"You oughtn't to have hid; I want
to talk up a scheme with you right off.
1t popped into my head since l got of
the train"
'.What scheme?" said Beetrus, hug.
ging her shawl and looking over hel
shoulder to simulate complete indif'
ference.
You know well enough, Dr. can guess.
We mustn't be parted, my dear girl; ]
can't run up to New Harmony every
time I make Il trip down this way.
Think of the long winter. Don't YOU
want to see me this winter?"
"Oh-yes," she admitted with /;
gasp.
81 want to see you. 1 want to hay,
you entirely to myself, to look forward
to every time 1 come in off the road
) Let's get married."
Beetrus visibly expanded and con
tracted with a great breath.
"Get on the train and go over to Ev
ansville with me, and we'll have tn
|, minister tie the knot there. The
home. And a nice little private set O
rooms, all quiet and to ourselves, an,
no relations to bother u.s."
. "But mas fixed things to go up t
!. New Harmony for the winter" whis
pered Beetrus, struggling with thi
vision. 'And she wouldn't change he
mind so suddenly-'specially as sh
, doesn't know you real WELL"
!; at isn't ma I want to marry" al
gued Poundstone, using bis winnin
smile. "T1l drop my relations, an
: you can surely do the m
"Drop mai"
b leave her a little while. Let he
g go up to New Harmony, you know"
"And what do You mean about drol
n ping your relations?" demanded Be,
trus, growing straighter and more sci
assured, and burning more wildly i
It the cheeks. .'That they wouldn't wal
a to be acquainted with ma and me? NJ
e sir; 1 amt going to let her 60 up I
e New Harmony alone; and 1 new
would seriously have you unless sf
knew all about it and was willing. Sh
might have read your letters if she wan
d ed to; she knows about them. 1 new
l. did any thing in my life that ma tol
5 me not to do"
d 81 thought five minutes talk on tn
subject would bring you to reason,
d demonstrated ~Poundstone.
o "Then you didn't calculate right"
II $50 it seems"
If I'm not the girl you took me for.
II "Do you want to break off with n
70 entirelyP" he exclaimed, with heat.
"Yes-come to that dor' erie
lie Beetrus, finging his letters at hir
g two fiuttering uncertain, but OIL
lie nodded by the grip of her hand al
darling like a missile. 81 believed